


Safeguard

by FidotheFinch



Series: Batfam Week 2020 [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Past Kidnapping, Protective Dick Grayson, mentions of Colin Wilkes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23101138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FidotheFinch/pseuds/FidotheFinch
Summary: Damian looked surprised, but the expression was quickly replaced with a deep scowl. “I always take Titus on a walk. It has never been a problem before.”“You hadn’t been kidnapped before.”And there it was.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne
Series: Batfam Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660387
Comments: 11
Kudos: 214
Collections: Tales from the Cave





	Safeguard

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Batfam Week 2020 Day 1: Overprotective.  
> This is. . . short. I'm working through some extended writer's block. I hope you enjoy :)

Dick was minding his own business, working on a case file in his apartment, when he heard the door creak open. His head snapped up just in time to see Damian disappearing into the hallway.

“Wait. Damian!”

A head poked back. “What?” He sounded disgruntled, but his face looked more curious than anything.

Dick set his laptop aside. “Where are you going?”

His answer came in the form of a low grunt. Titus loped back through the door and managed to wind his leash around Damian’s legs before sitting next to him.

Damian raised an eyebrow. “It is four-thirty. I am taking Titus on a walk.”

If Dick had taken a moment to examine the root of his emotions, he might not have said anything else. But he didn’t, and what came out of his mouth was, “You can’t just _leave_ like that. You have to tell me where you’re going.”

Damian looked surprised, but the expression was quickly replaced with a deep scowl. “I always take Titus on a walk. It has never been a problem before.”

“You hadn’t been kidnapped before.”

And there it was.

Dick clamped his mouth shut, the words surprising himself as much as Damian.

Damian froze. “I highly doubt I will run into _another_ dishonorable ex-employee wishing to hold me in exchange for Father’s money.”

Dick forced himself to laugh. “There are more than you may think.”

Damian’s fist clenched, and the action directed Dick’s eyes straight to the cast around Damian’s free hand. The one the kidnappers had broken six days ago, when the ransom was taking too long. Moments before Batman and Nightwing had arrived.

“You cannot stop me from leaving the house.”

“You’re twelve. You shouldn’t be wandering the streets of Gotham alone, anyway.”

“I’m not alone.”

“And your arm is broken, making you an easier—” Dick cut himself off when Damian’s words caught up with him. His heart skipped a beat. “Not alone?”

“Colin comes with me.”

“Who is Colin.” Dick was aware he was being overbearing. He couldn’t help it.

“A friend.”

And, in any other circumstance, Dick would have been excited about Damian having friends he met with regularly. Now, the only think Dick could think of was the saccharine way Damian’s kidnapper had held Damian’s face toward the camera screen and cooed “Say hi to you friends!”

“How old is he? Does he know where you live?”

“His is _my_ age.” Damian took a step out the door again. Titus’s ears perked up in anticipation. “You are beginning to sound like Father.”

It was like a slap to the face.

Dick shook himself. He loved Bruce, he really did. But, more than once, the older man’s paranoia had infringed upon Dick’s freedom. It had helped lead to Dick’s not-so-smooth transition to Nightwing.

“I thought you would be happy I had made an acquaintance.”

Dick took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Damian.” But the feeling didn’t leave. “I’m… I’m afraid. For you.”

Damian’s scowl grew deeper, and Dick rushed to fix his mistake. “It’s not that I think you’re incompetent. But… I was worried about you. Last week. And I don’t want that to happen again.”

Damian remained stiff. “Nothing is going to happen.”

Dick closed his eyes. “I know.”

He could hear Damian’s feet shifting. Titus’s collar jangled as the dog unwound himself and whined at the door.

“Would you like to accompany me?”

Dick’s eyes flew open.

Damian didn’t look up, under the pretense of fixing Titus’s collar. “You will have to clean up the poop, of course.”

“And I get to meet Colin?”

Damian hummed noncommittally. So, yes.

“Are you sure?”

Damian’s face pinched. “I would… appreciate the company.”

Dick smiled. “Give me a second. Gotta grab some shoes.”

On his way through the hall closet, Dick snagged an extra hat and scarf. He dropped them both over Damian’s head before letting him past him out the door. “It’s cold out.”

“TT.”

Neither of them could fight the urge to smile as they shut the door behind themselves.


End file.
